Weiser High School VEX Robotics teams compete in virtual scrimmage

VEX Robotics at Weiser High School is designed differently than years past to accommodate COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. During usual years, competitions can involve large in-person group settings with schools, teams, and robots facing off against one another. However, this year’s first competition was instead operated as a virtual scrimmage where the robots only competed in skills, with only one robot on the field at a time collecting as many points as possible.
 During the competition, robots are taken through two different phases with the first being driver control.
 “Driver control is kind of like video games in the sense that they drive their robot around to collect points. They get three chances, each one minute long,” said Jon Lundberg, instructor of the class.
 Once the first phase is finished, robots move onto the autonomous phase. The phase is a total programmed run with robots processing through a list of movements each team has previously coded for the robots to complete.
 “This phase is a real challenge, as they are not presently controlling their robots but instead relying on the coded program,” Lundberg said.
 The second phase also allowed robots three chances of one minute each to collect as many points as possible. During both phases, each team takes the round with which the most points were scored and add the two together for the total score.
 Each Weiser team competed in three different time slots throughout the day, one in the morning, one at noon, and the last time slot in the afternoon. This tournament was designed in a scrimmage format also to allow all teams to run through with their robots and spark motivation and inspiration in the competitors.
 The team that stood out the most to judges was team APE, consisting of Logan Ankarberg, senior, Ethan Davis, senior, Luke Johnson, senior, and Gabriella Barbot, junior.
 “Competing through Google Meet was not quite as fun as a regular competition because we didn’t get to compete with anyone in person and it was not an all-day event, but it was still exciting because we got to see how our robot operated,” Ankarberg said. This team competed very well, scoring the most points and handily winning the scrimmage.
 “This team’s robot is operating at a very high level and is very advanced for this time of year,” Lundberg said.
 The team qualified to compete at VEX Robotics World Championships last school year, located in Louisville, Kentucky, however was unable to attend because of the COVID-19 cancellation. The teams said they are looking forward to another season full of success and a chance to battle it out for a World Championship in Houston, Texas.
 “I love competing in robotics. Tournaments are really fun, and I like both computer science and robots,” Ankarberg said.
One in-person tournament is scheduled for Jan. 22 at Nampa Christian. All following competitions are to be virtual.
 The Weiser teams will host a competition at the high school on Feb. 5. Although it will be virtual, Weiser is responsible for all the inspections, keeping track of points, and the schedule.